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Indian authorities have demolished the properties of a number of individuals linked to riots prompted by derogatory remarks in regards to the Prophet Mohammed.
Muslims and rights teams interpreted the destruction as punishment for the protests after feedback by a member of Prime Minister Narendra Modi‘s Hindu nationalist BJP.
The home of one among alleged organisers of the riots, whose daughter is a feminine Muslim rights activist, was demolished on Sunday in Prayagraj, and the properties of two extra individuals accused of throwing stones after Friday prayers had been additionally demolished within the state of Uttar Pradesh.
Reuters reported that over the weekend a BJP spokesperson stated the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh, Yogi Adityanath, ordered officers to demolish any unlawful institutions and houses of individuals accused of involvement in riots there final week.
However authorities within the state on Monday insisted it was as a result of at the very least one of many properties was illegally constructed on public land.
An aide to Uttar Pradesh’s hardline Hindu chief stated: “We’re not demolishing homes to cease Muslims from protesting as they’ve all the best to take to the streets.”
Muslims have protested in a number of Indian states in current weeks towards the anti-Islamic feedback by two members of the BJP.
Intercommunal violence has damaged out, together with clashes between protesters and police in a number of areas.
It comes amid a local weather through which many Muslims in India have been questioning their place in society since Mr Modi got here to energy in 2014.
Critics say his BJP is usually intentionally confrontational, selling the concept that India is a Hindu nation, regardless of the Structure asserting India is a secular nation.
Many Muslims see actions by Hindu nationalists, which may embrace rounding on opponents they model “anti-national”, as an try to marginalise them, although Muslims make up 13% of India’s inhabitants.
Town the place the demolition happened noticed its identify modified in 2018 by the BJP-led state authorities from Allahabad to Prayagraj, angering the BJP’s opponents.
Mr Modi has not commented on the most recent controversial remarks although nations equivalent to Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Oman and Iran, vital commerce companions for India, have lodged diplomatic protests.
Leaders of distinguished Islamic teams and mosques issued an enchantment to fellow Muslims on Monday to droop plans for additional protests and keep away from massive gatherings.
Final week, two Muslim youngsters died and 30 individuals had been damage throughout protests.
Malik Aslam, a senior member of Jamaat e Islami Hind, a Muslim organisation that operates in a number of Indian states, stated: “It’s the responsibility of each Muslim to face collectively when anybody belittles Islam however on the identical time it’s crucial to keep up peace.”
Early this month, a BJP spokesperson made one of many offending feedback in a tv debate. The opposite remark that upset Muslims was made by a celebration spokesperson on social media.
The BJP suspended one and expelled the opposite and the celebration stated it denounced any insult in the direction of any faith, however that didn’t cease enraged Muslims taking to the streets in anger.
On Sunday, police in Indian-controlled Kashmir arrested a youth for posting a video threatening to behead the official who made the touch upon social media, officers stated.
At the least 400 suspected rioters have been held throughout unrest in a number of states and curfews have been imposed.
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